Easter 2014!

This weekend was crazy busy! Friday the kids were off school.. their first full day of Spring Break. We had a Charter guy come out and set up cable for us. We have never had cable in our entire 8 years of marriage.. crazy, right? But they kept calling us and got us a good deal, so we finally gave in. Anyway, it was very chaotic while he was here. First I had to put Oreo up because he tried to jump all over him outside. Then I had to put Sheldon up, and he was in the bedroom the whole time scratching at the door and howling. I tried to keep the kids busy with books, workbooks, toys, etc but they were just so restless. The guy ended up having some problems and ended up being there 3 1/2 hrs!!! It was definitely a stressful day for me. But I do finally have all the tv channels I've been wanting, like TLC, and faster internet too! That evening when Arnold got home I needed to get out of the house, so we all went to dinner at Mellow Mushroom.

Saturday morning we were supposed to go to an egg hunt but it was rained out! It ended up POURING rain most of the day and was pretty depressing, but we still had fun. We took the kids to a birthday party at the YMCA, and they got to swim indoors. I was excited for Rachel to get to show off her new bathing suit we got her this year! I realized that I couldn't find Brooke's from last year, so I had to run down the road real quick and buy her one. They only had ONE in her size, and it was a tankini.. but I ended up getting it anyway, and it worked. I generally have a rule with the girls that they have to wear one-piece.. we like them to be modest. Anyway.. the kids had a blast swimming with their friends, and we got to catch up with some friends also, and have adult conversation, which is always nice. Rachel was quite upset that her hands were "wrinkly" afterwards though.. and was scared they wouldn't go back to normal! ;)

Later that afternoon we went over to Arnold's parents house to let the kids see them for Easter. They had set up an area in the kitchen for the kids to dye eggs. Both Caleb and Rachel LOVE hard-boiled eggs, so right after they were done coloring the eggs, they cracked them open and ate them! Brooke however said no one better touch her eggs and she was going to keep them until they began to stink, lol! ;) Then the cousins ran around the house hiding eggs and having their own easter egg hunt. Their grandparents had gotten them baskets with some little treats, too. That evening we decided to go down the road to dinner at Hannah's BBQ and Jennifer and Bekah went with us, so that was a lot of fun.

Sunday morning the kids woke up early, as they do on every holiday, and were excited to see what they Easter Bunny had brought. They were quite thrilled with their stuff, and getting to eat chocolate for breakfast. When I saw everything thrown out all over the floor though, I remembered why holidays end up stressing me out! It is a huge mess to clean up! We got everyone dressed up in their Easter outfits. Turns out that the pretty shirt I was going to wear that morning had been RUINED in the wash... a pen had gotten in the wash somehow and ink stains were all over it! I didn't really have a back up.. I don't dress up often... more of a laid back kind of girl. So I was pretty bummed out :( We went to a friend's church because her 3 month old son was getting christened! It was a Lutheran church, and I grew up Methodist.. so a lot of things were different, and I felt awkward and stupid, so I just kept trying to copy what everyone else did! The kids sat with us through the service, which was very long, and they ended up getting very restless. But I am glad we went, and baby Liam was so sweet and calm throughout the whole thing! :)

After church we went over to Mom and Dad's for Easter lunch. Mom made ham, bacon-wrapped asparagus, mac and cheese, broccoli, fruit salad, rolls, sweet tea, and banana pudding. Everything was so yummy! I was sad Alex couldn't come in town for the holiday :( We all miss him bunches! After lunch we went outside and dad hid eggs for the kids to find. Instead of candy by parents always put quarters in their eggs, and the kids love having their own money. Although they did fight over who got the most, and kept asking me if they had enough to go buy something "right then." Haha. My mom gets the kids new books every holiday (my kids have an awesome library because of this!) and so I read them their new books. Brooke has lately become obsessed with trying to climb trees, and she actually got herself up in one in Grandma's yard! She was so proud of herself. I was just surprised she had gotten up there in sandals! 

I hope everyone else had a wonderful Easter. Now we are just trying to survive this Spring Break week with all 3 kids here at home! Eeek! :)

Dyeing eggs at Grandma's house

Checking out what was in her basket

Cousins hanging out at dinner Saturday night

The kids' Easter Baskets 

Brooke got a new Monster High Doll! 

In their Easter outfits. I had wanted them all in green, but couldn't find anything I liked for Brooke this year! 

The fedora was a last minute buy and I love it! Caleb looked so adorable! He said "hey, I look like that guy that sings "Happy!"

Baby Liam at his Christening on Sunday morning :)

The kids all got new books from Grandma (that I helped pick out ;)

Family picture. We took this 4 times to get a decent shot. 

Hunting eggs in the backyard. They ended up wearing sweatshirts over their clothes because it was a little chilly! So that is why they weren't matching lol :)

Reading the kids their new books

Brooke up in the tree she climbed herself!